


Will Never Be The Same

by cutieyoonie



Series: Darling, Sanity is Overrated. [2]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Author is a Clay | Dream Apologist (Video Blogging RPF), Blood and Injury, Character Death, Clay | Dream & Technoblade Friendship (Video Blogging RPF), Crying, Ghost Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Ghost Wilbur Soot, Ghosts, Graphic Description of Corpses, Headcanon, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Torture, Not Canon Compliant, Other, Pain, Prisoner Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Suffering, The Author Regrets Nothing, Torture, Unreliable Narrator, Warden Sam | Awesamdude, Wilbur Soot is Floris | Fundy's Parent, adding more tags for pain, and i'm the narrator, anyway back to simping, but who even cares abt those, click on it pls thanks uwu bYE, for dre ig, ghost wilbur gives out blue a lot i love him, i cried while planning the plot, i have so much missing schoolworks holy shit, in general this is a main topic in the fic please i do not want to trigger anyone, it might save ur sanity, read tags kids, suffer nerds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-27 00:41:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30114528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutieyoonie/pseuds/cutieyoonie
Summary: "What's the point in life?"The SMP will either be angry or delighted by the news as they meet the former administrator's ghost.orDream was muted on everybody's communicators, that was no surprise. But one day, they might regret their decision as Quackity does something unexpected.Dream bled to death from The Warden's Will Breaker.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Series: Darling, Sanity is Overrated. [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2199957
Comments: 83
Kudos: 560





	1. Blood...?

A pair of dull green eyes watched as the blurry figure left the prison, accompanied by the loud sounds of pistons being activated and deactivated to serve as a bridge. It has been, what, Quackity's seventh continous visit? 

"Remember, Dream. I'll be there tomorrow as well."

He could hear his voice right before the lava started flowing down, further cutting him off from everything. Once he was sure that the former vice president was gone, he started curling up on himself, ignoring how the action opened up the wounds that Bad worked so hard on bandaging. Both of them came everyday, Quackity there to start his job and Bad there to start patching him up. The part demon, despite being under egg's presence, never failed to express his hatred for Quackity's actions. 

The person who was supposed to be the least human was the only one who complained about inhumane actions.

It was ironic.

Clutching his side, he feels a singular rib almost piercing out of his skin. Oh, so that's why it was painful. His shoulders were trembling, his fingers were shaking, but that was now deemed to be normal as he always tried not to scream when he was there, only showing how painful everything was once Quackity left.

Quackity wanted the book.

Quackity wanted the power.

Dream didn't want to give it to him.

Dream didn't _need_ to give it to him.

Wilbur specifically requested to be killed, Jschlatt was happy that he gave nobody the pleasure of inflicting pain to him, and Tommy was already out there.

What more did he want?

After claiming that he burned the book, knowledge of how to revive now engraved in his mind, Quackity pressed the axe onto his ribs. After trying to scream for the Warden's help, trying to warn him that Quackity brought stuff inside, Quackity started digging his heel onto the wound he created yesterday, opening up the stitches that Bad created, and loving the feeling of blood soaking his shoe.

Even after he said he didn't want to, even after he said it was too much, the other kept going.

He screamed for _Sam._

_Techno._

_George._

_Sapnap._

He screamed for people who he knew don't care much about him anymore. He screamed for mercy, for anything but this.

_"You're a monster, Dream. Monsters deserve to have it the hard way."_

Quackity's words echoed inside his mind. 

He was a monster.

_Monster..._

_Monster?_

_Monster._

Quackity stole something from Sam today. He tried to warn the Warden, maybe snitch on Quackity, but the lava lowered down just in time, and for that, Quackity kept The Warden's Will Breaker on his left hand, taunting Dream and scaring him by letting the cold netherite rest against the flesh of his neck. 

He also left Dream after using it once, jabbing it onto his thigh and using the handle to break 3 of the prisoner's fingers.

Despite that, Dream still looked at the lava, hoping Sam would come.

Hoping _anybody_ would come.

The blood underneath him was a tad bit too much to be healthy, but he really didn't mind the pain anymore. Despite actually begging for Quackity to stop, after everything, his limbs become numb, throat parched and lips dry. He ignored how his leg was throbbing and how his fingers looked second away from falling off his hand.

He wanted to see the outside again.

He wanted to be free again.

But he deserved this, right?

He's a monster.

And _will always be._

What if he gave Quackity what he needed?

Will it end like that? Will they kill him afterwards?

The revival book is the only thing worth living for. He had no power over everything, no control. Sapnap hated him, George despised him, Puffy doesn't even think of him as a son anymore.

What was the point of everything?

_What's the point of continuing this mess?_

"S-Sam..."

He whispers for the Warden, hoping he could hear Dream. He knows he can't, but he was being hopeful. He wanted to smile, to laugh. He wanted to speak to somebody, anybody.

"P-Please....?"

The tears prickling his eyes finally fell to his side, half of his vision blacked out. Quackity must've accidentally, or even _intentionally_ blinded one of his eyes.

"Sam... _w-why?"_

_

_Dream bled to death from The Warden's Will Breaker._

_


	2. Prison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Techno meets Dream and learns what just happened to his rival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dropping this before dropping dead pog

Wilbur's floating figure was barely visible through the thick snow and the current blizzard that was attacking the snowy biomes. It would've been so cold to walk balk to Techno's house if he was alive, but then again, he wasn't anymore, so he watched as the hail started passing through his arms. He did have a hat on, it was a light leather hat, a gift from Techno actually, so he could run in the snow without melting. There was no need for boots...more like he couldn't put on boots because his feet were basically non-existent, so the hat was the only thing protecting him from melting. Other pieces of armour usually passed through his body, and was way too heavy for his figure to handle, so the hat with the enchantment _Water Resistance_ was definitely a good gift.

He looked over his shoulder, trying to find the familiar torches around Techno's home so he could get under a roof already. There were holes on his sweater and he didn't like that at all, a pout on his face further proving that. 

The blizzard was way too hard to see through, and his hat was also close to breaking, so he tries to find the little shed that Ranboo made for him in case he got stuck in the middle of the rain or hail. It was somewhere nearby, he was sure of it. 

Though, he wasn't a human GPS.

But he was deemed wrong when he found it a matter of minutes later, the light from the soul fire lantern contrasting greatly against the white snow. Finally! He could rest for a bit, and maybe contact Techno to tell him that he was going to be a bit late for dinner. 

But there was something different.

The more steps he took, the more he realized that there was a _flickering_ figure resting inside the shed, knees pressed onto the their chest, sobs wracking their entire figure. He took note of the _missing pinkie finger_ before coming up to the stranger, careful not to scare him.

"Hello? Are you sad?"

Stupid stupid question, but Wilbur let it slide. He wasn't one to start conversations a lot, don't blame him. The person lightly flinched, pale skin slightly emitting a red glow, unlike Wilbur's yellow glow. Wilbur only smiled, pulling out a certain clear bag from his inventory, he hands it to the stranger.

"Here, have some blue!"

Both of them watched in confusion as the bag collided with the other's hand and immediately turned black.

"Huh? You must be really sad." The person meekly nodded, tears still glistening his eyes. He quickly wipes them off with his green sleeve, trying to smile back at Wilbur, but it was useless as more tears just kept flowing, but now, the other just watched in confusion as his eyes began watering and watering no matter how much he tried to wipe it out. 

"It's okay, you can cry." Wilbur tried to assure him, but the other just shook his head. 

"N-Not...sad." 

Oh gosh.

What happened to this person anyway? His throat seemed to have taken unbelievable damage, even speaking looked and sounded painful. But he said he wasn't sad, at least not as much anymore, so why was he crying? 

"Do you want to come with me? I have somewhere we can go to." 

Wilbur asks, taking the strangers hand on his own. Surely Phil and Techno wouldn't mind, especially because ghosts don't take up that much space nor need anything solid. The stranger nods, still trying to wipe off his tears with his sleeves and just ending up with wet ones.

"Okay, let's go!"

_

"Phil? Are you home?"

Passing through the door with no issue, Wilbur drags the fellow ghost along with him, not having much trouble since they both weighed nothing. Looking around, Wilbur notices the hanging blood red cape and the striped green and white hat, signaling that both Techno and Phil were home. 

That's great! 

He lets go of the stranger at some point, flying around the house to see where the two were. He looks outside the window and sees Techno near his turtle shed, brushing off some snow while a small, newly hatched turtle was on the top of his head. 

"Techie! I got a friend!" He yells over, lightly startling his older brother.

Well, former older brother, considering that Wilbur was already dead.

"Please tell me it's the sheep." Techno murmurs to himself, sighing as the voices in his head seemed to get progressively more and more noisy as he follows Ghostbur through the house and to the fireplace attached to the living room. 

_E_

_Oh gosh a new friend? SEND E IN THE CHAT IF YOU WANT FRIEND TO HAVE A WIFE OR HUSBANDOOOOOO_

_E_

_EEEEEEEEEEEEE_

_DARLING WE SHALL SPAM E_

_OH GOD YES E_

They just never stopped. Main problem was that they weren't thoughts, they were legitimate voices. They scream and talk and even start giggling if something was funny enough to make them. It wad ridiculous and somebody just started bombarding him with E, barely giving him time to listen to what Ghostbur was actually saying. 

"-here's the new friend!"

Finally giving him a break, 'Chat' decided to shut the fuck up for one moment just to let him hear what Wilbur was saying. Techno looks over Wilbur's shoulder and sees another ghost, who was actually sickeningly familiar to him.

Freckled arms, scars, hair, they were all the same.

What gave it away was the eyes, one was the familiar vibrant green, shining through the dim room and seemingly glowing as well. 

It was no doubt-

"-Dream?"

His former enemy was staring at him, tears steadily flowing down from his eyes. Those same eyes who he was so used to seeing fueled with fury and determination were glistening and glazed with fear. The crackling of the fireplace was the only thing heard in in the room, well, that and _chat_ of course.

_WHAT_

_DREAM IS DEAD? HOLY SHIT WHAT????1!1!1!_

_Dream must've deserved it ngl._

_@pogjials sHUT UP HAVE SOME SYMPATHY THE MAN IS DEAD AND CAN NEVER COME BACK_

_@pogjials gosh darn man he's a real person and you're just a voice in Techno's head, shut it._

And there goes and arguement, but Techno really couldn't focus on them now. Dream. Dream was dead. How? What force, honestly, just what force killed him? Was it a fight with a beasty ravager? No, Dream was powerful. Was it a fight with friends? No, even if Dream cares, he's not that easy to break. Was it a trap? No, Dream's not a fucking idiot.

Then, how?

And why?

"H-How...do you remember anything, Dream? Anything about me?"

That was the first thing he needed to ask. Did Dream remember him, his favourite sparring partner? Did Dream remember George, his sleepy friend? Did Dream remember Sapnap, his childhood best friend? 

Did Dream remember _anybody?_

That was the same question he had asked Wilbur after his soul was found. Wilbur had cheerfully explained that he remembers a ton of things, like the way Techno used to ruffle his hair and that being the main reason he started to wear beanies. As time passed by, he soon concludes that Ghostbur only remembers the happy parts of his life, and judging by the way Dream was crying, he wasn't sure if the latter was the same case.

"U-Used to battle, u-us."

Dream weakly gestures to him, the tears still not stopping from flowing down. It seemed like the ghost wasn't much capable of forming coherent sentences yet, which was fine, Wilbur had a little bit of trouble with that too. 

Battle. 

How so?

Was it the good part of the battle, where they screamed in joy once it was done, splitting the gold (and giving Techno just a little bit more without his consent because Dream knew that the hybrid had a light obsession with shiny things) and going home with smiles on their faces?

Or was it the blood, the musky stench of iron as Dream looks at what he has done, what both of them had done, and lets go of his sword for the _last_ time?

"Anything else...?" Techno's voice awkwardly trailed off. He really needed to know if Dream remembered anything good from his life, just so he could have a general idea of what could trigger memories and what couldn't. 

Dream shakes his head.

Oh gosh.

That was going to be a problem.

So...bad stuff then?

"What do you remember about him?" Techno gestures to the other ghost in the room who has been unusually silent. Dream glanced at Wilbur.

"Glare."

Glare.

Huh.

Yeah, that was right.

Wilbur used to glare at Dream all the time. For many valid and invalid reasons actually. For destroying L'manburg the first time, for waging wars and not leaving him and his van alone, for harming his brother's discs, and so much more. They always had a love and hate relationship, but the answer still wasn't clear. Techno needed to know this, badly.

"What's the worst thing you can remember?" 

The other doesn't even hesitate.

"Prison."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAAAAAAA you guys overwhelmed me with love and support for the first(and the shortest) chapter! thank you for the hits and kudos, i actually started crying after i posted this cuz there was so much support and oH GOD IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Techno gets to Pandora's vault in the middle of the night, and meets the Warden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> was this fic an excuse to write protective techno?
> 
> ....yes, what r u gonna do bout it?

"So you're saying that Dream commissioned Sam to make a prison, locked him in there for almost four months straight with a cauldron, lectern, a chest full of books, and potatoes to eat - and somehow, _I_ don't know about this?"

Phil was finally back from where the fuck he ventured from, taking off his coat and throwing it to the bin of laundry that he hadn't done in a while, and he was dumbfounded when he saw Dream's ghost alongside Wilbur's, both of them flying around. There was a frown on the face of the admin, but it looked a little playful. He has also explained everything that has happened in the prison, and yes he did inform Techno that Dream was in there for about four months or so after the piglin's eye started twitching.

They were close friends.

Rivals, friends, same thing for them anyways.

They were considered rivals by many, as they competed endlessly on tournaments, the score somehow always ending up tied. They had almost the same fighting style, Techno was just a little more aggresive than Dream was. People loved seeing them duel, and they somehow managed to set a bet for their most recent one, winner gets to take 6 blocks of diamonds, one netherite block, and 95 stacks of gold. 

Techno _was in joy._

His obssesion with shiny things was fueled and he had won, still agreeing to split the price. They both walked home with smiles on their faces, bragging about how their fighting styles seemed so opposing yet so meant to be. They also laughed at the dinner table when they remembered that both of them got distracted shearing the wooden floor, and spent about 5 minutes just plainly playing with it. It was hilarious.

It wasn't a love and hate relationship.

There was never hate in it.

Opponents, not rivals.

So when Techno was just informed about Dream's imprisonment, now that his friend is fucking _dead ,_ Techno was in rage. 

How dare they?

_How dare they harm Dream?_

Phil could just imagine what the voices in Techno's head were saying as the hybrid's gaze drifted off, still processing the information.

"How dare they? What the fuck did they do to him for him to be like that? To be dead?"

Phil just sighed and shook his head. He didn't know either. Him and Dream were nowhere near close friends, they were mostly allies and company, but even _he_ was angry. He could only imagine how Techno felt about the news. What the hell had they done? How did Dream, a fucking _administrator_ , die on their hands?

"I'm seeing Sam."

Techno stood up from the couch and snatched his cape from where it was hanging, eyes sharp and unwavering as he stared at Dream's soul, seeing how the admin never stopped crying, but also never whimpered, sobbed or even winced a little. It irked him. What could they have possibly done to him? 

"Techno, it's almost night. You can't travel in the cold, it also just stopped snowing." Phil reminded him, knowing just how sensitive Techno was when he was in the cold. The hybrid ignored him, grabbing his golden crown and putting it on his head, bringing his fully enchanted netherite armour with him and almost a stack of golden apples. With that, he leaves with a message.

"If Sam doesn't have an explanation, _he better be ready for a fucking bloodbath."_

And judging by the tone of that, Techno wasn't kidding.

_

_bad idea to not listen to Phil, you just know it Techno._

_We're gonna die in the snow that's sO POG_

_imagine not dying to an anvil but to sNOW HHSHABSBBAS embarrassing._

"Shut it. I need to confront Sam."

Techno just mutters, ignoring how his breaths were visible through the dark night. He needed to see Sam. Absolutely needed to see the fucking Warden.

His job is to keep the prisoner intact.

To keep him in there, but alive.

Techno didn't even know if it would be better if Dream was alive or not.

Had the admin _wanted to die?_

God, he loved potatoes to no end, but 4 months of them would've made him vomit. 

Dream had nothing to do in that room. He was alone, with his thoughts. There were books, a stupid fucking lectern, and a goddamn cauldron.

And that was it.

Techno had voices in his head.

Dream doesn't.

Dream didn't have anybody to talk to.

And damn was the admin a noisy person.

That must've messed with him.

Opening his communicator and staring a little at the messages that popped up, he scrolled upwards. And more, and more, and more.

_Dream bled to death from The Warden's Will Breaker._

That was Sam's sword. 

He knew it was, he has seen it on the fellow hybrid's waist before, strapped onto it while his hand just barely hovered over as Techno stepped closer.

But _bled to death._

That was in the message, Dream bled to death.

So it couldn't have been Sam. He knew Dream and Sam _were_ friends, he wouldn't let Dream just stay there, in the prison, bleeding. He would've made it painless, fast, and efficient because he had mercy. Sam would never do that to Dream.

_...or would he?_

Sam really did have a lot of explaining to do.

_

Tugging on his cape to let it fall over his shoulder, Techno stares at the prison. It looked like a harmless building from the outside, but judging by the ghost he saw earlier, it wasn't just a harmless building you can see in L'manburg.

It was a Prison.

Prison.

The prison that cut Dream off from society, from everyone, a prison that made him stay in there with absolutely nobody, disregarding his mental health and the fact that Dream is overly social-

He needed to stop pissing himself off.

Sam. 

He was here for Sam.

_You whispered to Awesamdude: i'm at the prison. get here, immediately._

_Awesamdude whispered to You: It is 00:52 right now, Technoblade. The Prisoner might be sleeping._

_You whispered to Awesamdude: the prisoner you're talking about is dead. get the fuck in here._

There was so reply for about a few second, Techno's hand coming up to impatiently tap at his communicator, waiting for a singular response. He really didn't want to waste time, especially after he travelled that far. He was not going to take no as an answer.

Sam's figure appeared through the nether portal, fully geared up and not tired-looking at all. Techno rolled his eyes, muttering a small "fucking finally" as he stepped through the portal on Sam's command.

"Would you mind explaining, Techno? I do not take jokes like this lightly."

Sam's stern voice came from the other side of the portal. He heard a flicker of a lever and glass breaking, before he was instructed to step through the same portal.

Once he was through, he threw his communicator at Sam, now it was Sam's turn to get confused. How? Dream was in there, he was sure of it. This must've been a sick joke.

_"You_ have to do the fucking explaining, Sam. Tell me just why, _just why_ Wilbur comes on my door with Dream's ghost along with him, with my communicator saying that Dream died from _your_ fucking sword."

Techno started walking towards Sam, ignoring the way the Warden tried to warn him to not get too close. He jabbed a finger onto the man's chestplate, lightly pushing him. He was so angry, oh fuck he was so mad. He was so close to breaking his retirement. If he doesn't get an explanation right about now, he knows he _will_ stab Sam. Fuck his retirement, fuck the rules. How dare they kill his friend.

"Tell me Sam, answer my fucking question."

He threatened once again, hand reaching for his _Orphan Obliterator._ He wanted Sam to answer, no, he _needed_ Sam to answer. 

"Quackity has been coming everyday to torture him."

Techno's anger falters at that.

Quackity?

"H-He comes here everyday and brings shears, my sword, my axe, and healing potions." Techno's ear twitches, still not processing the information.

He knew Quackity was a little messed up.

They had been a little close, but after the whole thing that happened with Schlatt, he wasn't even sure if Quackity was going to be the same. Schlatt's reign and death greatly affected the former vice president, making him even more hungry for power than he already was.

Quackity did this.

"But why? Why would you allow that? _I thought you and Dream were friends?"_

Techno's hand retreated, yet he was still torn between cutting Sam's head off or keeping him alive and saving the bloodshed for later, for _Quackity._ He was upset. Why? Why Sam, out of all people?

Drifting his mind off the topic for now, Techno wanders around the prison, not even following protocol. He knew redstome enough to get in the prison without having Sam to assist him. Dream's body must've been in there, and it has only been half a day. Two more and it would start rotting, and he didn't want that to happen. He wanted a proper burial, a funeral on where he could punch the fuck out of Quackity's face, maybe break a bone of two. He wanted revenge.

But for a proper burial, a respected burial, he would set that desire aside.

"Press the button or I'll swim through."

Techno was standing near the main cell, lava still containing the room. Sam was right behind him. He really didn't have Fire Resistance potions, but his armour was on maximum level of Fire Protection. Swimming on lava would be a bad idea, but he didn't want to wait for the stupid lava to get down just to check on a body. He was way too impatient for that. He would actually start swimming, not caring if it damages him or his armour one bit. He needed to get there, he needed to get to the main cell.

Sam catches his attention.

He throws a _Fire Resistance_ potion between the two of them, splashing it everywhere. Now they can both get there without waiting. Techno goes in first, knowing how his body doesn't react as much as it should to lava. He was from the Nether, who were you to blame him. Still, the feeling of a _Fire Resistance_ potion was weird. You could feel how hot everywhere was, but it's like a slimy feeling has eveloped your whole body and somehow you're not getting toasted while swimming in molten rocks. Techno's arm finally touches obsidian and he desperately crawls to it, hand coming up to pull Sam inside as well. 

It smelled horrible.

It hasn't even been a day, yet he knew the body was already starting to decay just judging by the smell. 

The netherite blocks were down, and he could see the aftermath of everything. 

Blood. 

As somebody who loved seeing the crimson spray everywhere, staining his dress shirt and adding much more volume to his cape, this was where he drew the line between good enough to too much.

There was blood everywhere.

Absolutely _everywhere._

He carefully stepped inside, looking down as he felt something squish on his shoe. That looked odd. It didn't look like a quill nor a folded piece of paper-

A finger.

_It was a finger._

Oh shit.

_Oh fuck._

This was too much.

He finally brought the courage to look at the corpse that was in the middle of the room. After taking some shaky breaths, Techno opens his eyes.

Shit-

He couldn't look again.

_Couldn't._

It was too much to see.

Even in that milisecond when he decided to peer his eyes open, it was terrifying.

There was blood dripping from the body as it was thrown to the side. There was a rib puncturing a hole through the thin flesh, seemingly dragging some nerves and exposing them to the naked eye. He could see some exposed joints especially the broken hands that seemed crushed. Dream, what was left of Dream, was scary, even for him. There was skin flaking off the body, and he didn't even know whether that was intentional or not. He could also see a large gash going through his left eye, and even if the man's soul was already out there, the body was still bleeding.

Holy shit.

_What had Quackity done?_

_

Sam was shaking.

He was fucking trembling.

Quackity. He allowed Quackity to do this. To do this to his friend - _to Dream._

He couldn't look. He couldn't speak. He could only watch as Techno's figure started analyzing everything, from the shards of broken healing potions dug onto the skin of the former prisoner to the unrelenting cuts along the clothes and onto the flesh. 

He caused this.

This was _his fault._

He allowed Quackity, who he knew had a deep and longing hatred for the prisoner, in there, with nobody else. He allowed him to do this for...one month, and Dream had given up earlier this day.

_And since he was muted on Sam's communicator, he didn't even realize what happened._

Techno sighed as he looked at Sam, the usually stern and stoic Warden shaking on his spot, shaken up by what he was seeing. He closed his eyes and brought an arm to bring the corpse outside. 

Proper burial. Chaos could wait later.

_Once this was done, nobody could escape his anger._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> watch me whip, watch me nay nay.
> 
> i need to stop putting random shit at the end anYWAY I WROTE THIS WHILE HALF ASLEEP I'M SORRY FOR TYPOSHSJSKSKSMA


	4. Burial.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They try to give Dream a proper burial, Sapnap interrupts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a bet i made that if my fic reaches 300 kudos and 2k hits, i would do a double update. i said this on discord and i dON'T REGRET SHIT LET'S FUCKING GOOOOO

_Why did he let this happen?_

He should've stopped Quackity.

He should've gotten Dream out, even for just a minute, to treat him and take care of him, then banned Quackity from getting inside Pandora's Vault ever again. He could've done that. He heard the screams, the pleads to stop that resonated throughout the whole building. The cries, they haunted him everyday. He hasn't been sleeping ever since Quackity entered the prison for the first time, hasn't gotten any sleep since this little stunt had started. He has heard Dream try to call for him, screaming his name until his voice started going hoarse and worn out. The first day, Dream was even worried that Quackity had harmed Sam, resulting to him getting the Warden's sword.

Dream had sounded so worried for Sam, _not himself._

He should've listened to his mind.

He shouldn't have ignored how uneasy and uncomfortable he got whenever Quackity was around, a beaming smile on the former Vice President's face as he presented new things he could do to Dream.

He could've prevented this. He was the Warden, it was his prison meaning he had the power, the control, and the rules always rested in his hands.

But he didn't.

Because he was a fucking _coward._

That was no surprise. Despite seeming like an extremely stoic, even lightly apathetic, he was a coward. He knew that, and he doubted that Techno knew it as well. He still couldn't move, but he had managed to swim through again, just waiting for the lava to drain so that Techno could use the bridge to get to the lther side. Potions didn't work on dead bodies.

He still wasn't over the fact that Techno was carrying a dead Dream on his arms. 

This was his fault.

This was Tommy's death all over again, but this time, it was with Dream. 

He blamed himself for it.

But this it time was _slightly worse._

It was his job to maintain the prisoner alive, while still in there. Even before Quackity's visit, he used to punish the other for some things, just to show him that he couldn't randomly taunt the Warden without any consequences. 

Spoke too much or too harshly? Gag.

Threw the any of the prison's main things? A chain around the arms and no visitors for three days. 

Not that Dream would've gotten any either way, nobody has visited Dream after the Tommy incident spread out on the server like wildfire.

Too much death messages? Sam would personally go inside and chain him onto the obsidian walls, hands, ankles and neck wrapped in metal as Dream writhed and squirmed underneath him, trying his best to get away.

Sam hated doing that, so he just muted Dream on his communicator to stop himself from following protocol.

He wanted to save Dream when Quackity was in there-but he cowered away.

He should've, but he _couldn't._

It was like his feet were stuck on the ground, unable to move as he hears the pained screams and cries slowly get louder and louder, then the splash of a potion, signaling that Quackity had healed Dream for a much longer session with the prisoner.

His hands were shaking, wanting to move but couldn't. Quackity and him had a deal, and he didn't want to break it.

But the screams were ringing on his ears and it almost became too muc-

"Sam, the bridge."

Techno's voice broke his train of thought, and that was when he realized that the lava already drained completely and he was in front of the button that triggered the moving bridge, yet was not pressing it whatsoever. He didn't notice how Techno's voice wasn't in its usual monotone one, and he also didn't notice the pity in the piglin's eyes as Sam stumbled over to press the button, pistons immediately activating to extend the bridge. Techno stepped over, not without Sam reminding him to walk with the bridge, too used to prisoners almost falling when it first activates. 

Techno was angry, he had every right to be.

Yet why was he being so gentle?

Sam didn't have the right to be taken care of, this was basically his fault. He flinched when Techno stepped onto the obsidian, looking at him with an emotion he couldn't decipher.

Sam couldn't look at the body on Techno's arms, one that stayed limp and pale the whole time. He was not expecting it to suddenly twitch back to life, but he hoped it would. He hoped Dream was still alive, even if it has already been half a day since everything ended and the chances of Dream just jolting up awake and alive were just so low.

Opening his communicator without another word and sent a message.

_Awesamedude: get to the entrance of the prison, urgent. This is about Dream._

_

_pogchamp can we smack quackity please we just know it's him._

_@kokopowji hey maybe try to hear his side of the story? there might be something there._

_E_

_Beat uP THE MAN AAAAAAAAA_

_BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD_

_POG?_

Everyone were just so noisy, even when Techno knew the silence outside of his head was near deafening. He also couldn't look at the body he was holding, still not accepting that this was his friend. That this was his friend that can never come back. 

Dream was a fighter, a good one too. He was always fueled with determination, hand so used to clutching Nightmare, his sword that he named out of irony, and eyes always searching for trouble he could end. Dream loved himself, a lot by that too. He used to brag about everything to everyone, especially to Techno. He would share knowledge about how to handle an axe right and delivering critical hits without accidentally letting go of the newfound weapon, and also eagerly learned from everyone just by watching them, carefully calculating their strengths and weaknesses in record time.

But Dream was also... _Dream._

He was kind and just a little stupid, he remembers seeing Dream trying to make a crafting table with cobblestone he just got and ended up laughing at himself 2 days later. He laughs too much and has a soft spot for all of his friends, making him vulnerable around them.

Dream was a fighter, a warrior.

But he was _human._

And Techno would never forgive everyone who agreed to put Dream in this fucking prison, disregarding his rights as a simple human being.

He knew how terrible Dream could get, hell, he was even lightly worse than Techno is, and that says a lot.

But putting him in a prison, cutting him off from everyone and everything he loved, torturing him to actual death and trying to get the one thing that made him relevant to everyone was a step too far.

This had to be put to a stop, somehow. 

As he stepped through the same portal he and Sam got through earlier, he was met with familiar faces.

Sapnap, looked tired yet agitated at best. He was impatiently tapping his foot to the ground, eyes searching for any foreign movement. His hair was messy and his white bandana was thrown messily over it just to keep it from irritating his eyes.

George, worried and tired. He was slouching a little and still had his sleepwear on, hair basically a bird's nest. He had his circular goggles on, eyes half-lidded and body leaning on Sapnap for leverage.

Tommy-

Wait, Tommy was here?

That made sense. Tommy might've been slightly terrified after what Dream had done to him in prison, but any news about the prisoner would get him up at any second.

Tubbo was beside him, clad on his suit while Michael tried to climb on his back, his father completely unbothered by it. The president was reading something, a quill in hand, still trying to sign papers even if Sam had news for them. Techno could barely see the amount of eyebags under the president's eyes.

Fundy...however, _wasn't there._

He was suprised by that. He knew Dream and Fundy were close, close as in they almost got married, and it was a surprise that the fox-hybrid didn't come running immediately. He was probably just asleep though.

He still appreciated that some people came despite it being one in the morning.

Sam stepped through, immediately speaking to catch everyone's attention.

"I'm sorry to message everyone on such a short notice, but I'm here to say that the prisoner has been found dead."

Blunt, Techno would give him a point for that.

There were mixed reactions from the group. Tommy looked at the Warden in shock and disbelief, while Tubbo just looked in shock. George snapped out of his trance while Sapnap's foot came to an immediate halt.

"What the fuck do you mean by-"

Sapnap looked at Techno...and the body in his hands. He could see the blood dripping from Techno's hands, or Dream, and his eye twitched, anger almost immediately clouding his throughts as he stalked closer to Techno.

"What did you do to him?" Techno looked at Sapnap with stern and unmoving eyes. 

"Why do you care? Last time I checked, you were threatening to kill him."

"Threatening, Techno! It was just words-"

"Words can hurt people."

"How the fuck would _you_ know?! You _never_ care if you hurt anybody-"

George starts holding Sapnap back from a fight he could never win. He needed to keep Sapnap alive, since he was the only one left. Arm wrapping around Sapnap's waist, George tries to hold him back from approaching Techno even more, ignoring how his friend started trashing around, trying to get out of his grip.

"Sap...Please, _calm down."_

That engrages Sapnap even more.

"Calm down? George, can you hear yourself?! Dream, that's Dream! I can't- he _can't_ be dead!"

It was only halfway through the sentence when Sapnap's eyes started watering, voice craking ever so slightly when he utters the words. Techno just looked at him and sighed.

"We will be holding a proper burial. Everyone that disagrees shall prove themselves and fight me. If you don't, the follow me."

Techno lightly smiles at the way everyone just follows him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honesly my life has been going downhill but eh tURN BACK TIME OH AY OH GOTTA HIT REWIND-
> 
> mom don't pick me up, i'm in love with a song.


	5. Memories?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil discovers something...
> 
> or
> 
> A take at Dream's side of the story, the confusion and the mess he was left with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy fUCK it's like 10 PM rn i need to sleep but like this is kinda rushed since i'm also working on an animatic and an animation, one for karl and one for my wILBY-and like my life has been a mess ugh fuck it's really hard to explain eNJOY THIS WORD VOMIT ANYWAY

Dream felt mushy.

Not necessarily the bad type of mushy. It's just that his thoughts were jumbled around a kind of incoherent when he started trying to decipher just what on earth he was thinking about. It was like everything was just at the tip of his tongue, he knew it, it was so close, yet he couldn't put his finger on it specifically. His body felt like goo and his head felt like it was melting, brain frying itself as he struggled to remember everyone who was speaking to him.

Wilbur.

Yeah, he knew Wilbur. 

Wilbur...he...he came up with L'manburg and ignored his rules for complete unity. He ignored how angry Dream was when he started scamming people for potions and recalls getting them caught and set for trial. He remembers seeing Wilbur on his final control room, crying as he desperately clawed on the handle of his father's sword, pointing it to his chest. 

He remembers seeing Wilbur die.

He remembers feeling bittersweet about it.

Yet he reminds himself that Wilbur wasn't the person he was talking to. This was his soul, his ghost, but this entity is still seperated from the real one, the one that died about 5 months ago. 

Wilbur always felt bittersweet. He was joyful, a man full of words, but his life went straight downhill to the point that he destroyed the country he created and loved.

Ghostbur...

Was happy.

He doesn't remember much of the bad things Dream could remember.

And that was okay.

The other person in the room though...he doesn't remember much. 

Techno referred to him as 'Phil', and Dream was ever so slightly scared of the man. Huge wings cuddled his figure, it made him look much more intimidating than he actually is. Despite his voice being gentle, he doesn't remember meeting Phil at all. Him and Techno seemed close, but why didn't Dream remember him?

Why, why, why, why-

What happened to him anyway?

He remembers darkness.

_It was so bright now._

He remembers pain.

_He feels fine._

He remembers sadness.

_He feels so happy._

What happe-

"Dream? Do you want some more blue?" Ghostbur's joyful voice interrupted his thoughts, holding out a bag of dye to him. Dream unconsiously nods, letting Wilbur give him some of the clear dye. The latter watches in awe as it faded into black once again, like a sickness, like a disease. 

"That's so cool, Phil, isn't that cool?"

Wilbur subtly tugs at his father's sleeve, a beaming smile on his face as he bounced on his seat. Phil just gives him a small smile, still unsure about Dream's thoughts. 

They were really important.

Accidentally triggering memories are a but of a problem with ghosts, they would start flickering and might even completely disappear if the memory was such a big part of their life. He's seen it happen for Schlatt, it was one of the main reasons Schlatt relies on Wilbur's guidance to talk and be active. He's seen it, he's seen how Schlatt's eyes started watering as he writhed in pain, entire figure slowly fading out as Phil tried to calm him down, tried to know where it hurts so he could help.

And that was irreversible.

Once a soul is gone, _it's gone._

_He didn't want that to happen to Dream._

_"Phil...how terrible was I? Because this-this isn't a normal occasion...because people usually you know-live with the legacy of their father when they die, not...replace them, you know? So I was just-I was just wondering, how dreadful-awful was I?"_

_Wilbur's voice was shaky, hands trembling as he looked at his communicator. It was worn out, stains of blood by the side as the middle part that was made out of glass was scratched and a little broken._

_Phil on the other hand, froze. He couldn't see Wilbur, but he already knew what the latter was talking about._

_Fundy._

_After everything, Fundy had changed. No longer experimenting on things, he drifted away from Sam. No longer an ally for the government, he drifted away from Tubbo. No longer caring about all the shit has been happening to his family...he stayed away from Phil, like his family was a crime._

_No longer believing in love, he started to hate Dream._

_And now, Fundy was alone. He didn't want anybody, he wouldn't talk. He wasn't as excited as he usually were, his face was almost always stoic and unmoving. Born inside the walls of L'manburg, he was never presented to the idea of peace, it was always violence, war, and fights._

_The family was messed up._

_But he didn't want to accidentally trigger anything for Wilbur. He had to be careful with the information he was going to give._

_"Well...you were a good dad. For a decent amount of time, you were good."_

_Good._

_Not the best, but good. He's seen it, seen Wilbur treat Fundy as a baby just a little too much, seen him being overly protective of his son, which he really couldn't blame after the incident with Sally. He was good, supportive of Fundy, even. He remembers seeing Wilbur cry when Fundy showed off his first redstone contraption, even if his son claimed it was simple enough._

_"But-you...sorta went downhill after a bit."_

_The protectiveness went down to plainly belittling Fundy, even 'jokingly' insulting him in front of everyone just to prove that Fundy couldn't fight, Fundy couldn't go to war, Fundy couldn't do this and that. Especially since Schlatt reigned and he was forced to leave Fundy in L'manburg, and even if his citizenship wad revoked, he didn't make an effort to try and reach Fundy. He sort of just...left his son in L'manburg, with the man he despised the most._

_"Oh..." With that, Wilbur went silent. Phil could hear shuffling in the background._

_"That's...thank you for filling me in, Phil. You can go hang out with Tommy now-uhm, bye!" Wilbur ends the call abruptly, leaving Phil to think about his decisions._

_Maybe he should've asked Wilbur first before signing those papers._

"Dream, can you state exactly what you can remember?"

Catching the attention of the admin, Dream nods, those tears still streaming down his face. It seemed like they were never-ending and were permanent. 

_Phil didn't know if that was a red flag on itself or not._

"S-Sapnap? George...F-Fundy, Techno, u-uhm..." His voice trailed off. Unlike Wilbur, who only forgot some people like Schlatt because he had absolutely no good memories of the fellow ghost, Dream seemed to forget some of the people he usually hung out with.

Which was fine, but it could be signaling something.

"What do you remember about Sapnap?"

Deciding that would be the best question, since Dream and Sapnap were really close, he settles with asking Dream about his best friend. This could be it, this could determine what had happened and what caused thi-

"Threat. D-Death." Dream motioned to his neck and pointed at the sword strapped onto Phil's waist, still stumbling over his words. 

What?

Sapnap had _threatened_ Dream?

"Can you...specify what threat, Dream?"

The latter just lightly shakes his head. 

_Bad memories._

Dream could probably only remember the _worst parts of his life._

_And somehow, that made Phil feel worse._

_

Techno stares at his communicator, looking at the message Phil sent him.

_Ph1lzA whispered to You: Dream only remembers the bad things in his life. It makes sense he mentioned the prison to you._

He couldn't think of a reply. 

_Techno?_

_Emotions are rolling holy shit Techno has emotions confirmedDSDSDSD_

_hey techie, we know we're just stupid lil voices you hear on a daily basis but we're here for ya man, we know it's hard to lose a friend._

_@kikikikiana makes sense but please don't call us stupid HABHSHAHDH_

_@kikikikiana we r stupid sHUSH_

_techno, we gOTTA BEAT SOME ASS E_

_YES E_

Techno couldn't supress a smile, looking at the grave in front of him. There were flowers already, and...a mushroom.

Must be from George.

There's Oxeye Daisies, Red and Orange tulips, a red mushroom, and a sunflower as well. One bee was picking off the nectar of the sunflower, informing him that it was probably Tubbo who left it there. 

Beside the grave was a chest.

Opening it, Techno gapes at the contents.

_In memory of Big D. Mellohi Cat_

_Maybe Tommy was a softie after all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ya like glass?
> 
> on a serious note i do have major memory problems so writing dream forgetting stuff was like a big slap to the face but eH i like angsty shit so ngl i enjoyed this uHH YA WANT GLASS?

**Author's Note:**

> anyway hEYYY i know bleeding to death is not something that exists in vanilla minecraft but sHUSH, plot convinience shall be my savior regarding that issue. there will be multiple chapters, and this is a continuation to my last book 'The Last Visit'
> 
> can still be read as a stand alone fic, but Dream would make more sense if you read it HAHHSHAHDHSBS BYE


End file.
